In 2 Corinthians 12, I'm just
going to begin reading in verse 7 and go to verse 10. 2 Corinthians 12. Paul speaking
to the church at Corinth says, lest I should be exalted above
measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was
given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet
me, lest I should be exalted above measure." For this thing,
this thorn in the flesh, I besought the Lord three times. that it might depart from me,
which is a reasonable thing. And the word from the Lord came
unto him and said, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. Paul says, Most gladly therefore
will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am
strong." Now that verse 10, you don't hear people talking like
that. You don't hear religious people talking like that. You
hear the believer in his right mind talking like that. But we're going to look at one
phrase, and that is found in verse 9, The word of the Lord
to Paul said, My grace is sufficient for thee. My grace is sufficient
for thee. Mr. Hawker states regarding this
phrase, he says, this is a rich cluster which hangs upon the
tree of life, even upon Jesus Christ. And my desire for us
this morning is that we may gather up these clusters of sweet, refreshing,
as it were, grace poured forth for our own use and our own edification. Because my grace is sufficient.
That can be a blanket statement to the believer. Paul here obviously
was in struggles and trials and the thorn in the flesh is specifically
what he's talking about. He was in need of much grace
while in this, it's an unspoken or unknown to us anyway, trial
and affliction. But he says he got a word from
God to his soul. My grace is sufficient. All of
God's children can lay hold of this truth regardless of your
trial, testing, or temptation. You can. If you're not in a trial,
if you're not in temptation, the believer in this world, just
wait, just wait till school starts, just wait till your job starts
back again, just wait till tomorrow. And you can attest that this
world has very little to offer the believer. But I want us to
look at four ways in which God's grace is sufficient. God says,
My grace is sufficient for you. Now this word sufficient, I think
it's kind of interesting, two meanings. The Greek, it's to
be content with. God's grace, we're to be content
with His grace. That's what sufficient means,
to be content. But also, it means to ward off. How do you defeat Satan? How
do you defeat the flesh? How do you look to Christ? How
do you look to heavenly and not to earth? Well, how do you do
that? You do that by grace, and His grace is sufficient. So negatively,
if we're in any danger, grace by God's grace, we can ward this
danger off, we can ward the circumstances off, trouble, anything that we
encounter, by grace, because His grace is sufficient. Or positively,
whatever state we're in, we are to be content with this unspeakable
free gift. Because we don't deserve it,
we don't merit it, there's nothing to commend us to God. His grace,
my grace, not my grace, His grace, is sufficient. It leaves the
believer without excuse in any situation, any circumstance,
at any given time. But let us look at four, let
us consider four ways in which God's grace is sufficient for
us. The first one, let us consider
God's grace in its fullness, in its fullness to us. All the covenant blessings are
wrapped up in Christ. Somebody said something about
eggs in a basket. Well, all of God's eggs, so to speak, are
in this one basket of rich, free favor. All of God's grace, the
fullness thereof, is found in Christ. Everything the sinner
could ever want, he sees and acknowledges that they are bound
up in God's dear Son. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter
1. Just a couple of pages over. Ephesians 1, verse 22 and 23,
we are considering the grace of God as it comes to us in His
fullness. And He hath put all things under
Christ's feet, God has put all things under Christ's feet, and
gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which
is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all things. and all. In Ephesians chapter
3, turn one page over, and verse 17 through 21, that Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth,
the length, the depth and height and to know the love of Christ
which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness
of God." How is that possible? In Christ. It's possible. God's grace is sufficient. Now,
unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundant above all we ask or
think according to the power that works in us, unto Him be
glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world
without end. And turn a few more pages over
to Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. And verse 19, For it pleased
the Father that in Him, in who? In Christ. Colossians 1, 19,
should all fullness dwell. And again, Chapter 2, same page. Go over a little bit. Chapter
2, verse 9. For in Him, Christ, dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. What does that mean?
I don't really know. As Bruce says, I can't wrap my
mind around it. I can't do that. But by faith,
I go back to our passage and he says, My grace is sufficient. So if I have a need once, I'm
to go to Christ. If God the Father, I ask myself
this, if God the Father has placed all fullness of His grace in
Christ, let me, let you, let us stop seeking it elsewhere. It's not in the bank accounts.
It's not in the economy. It's not even in this democracy.
It's not in this government. It's not in this town. That's
actually wantonness. If you seek the fullness of the
grace of God, and you're seeking it in things, you'll come out
wanting. You'll come out lacking. Whether
you trust in men, or you're trusted in self, or worldliness, any
of these things, let us stop working for salvation. By any
other means, only God's means are sufficient, are full, and
without price. Which leads me to our second
point. Consider God's grace in its freeness. We've considered
it in its fullness. You can't spend it all. Our cup
overflows. Usually when we're having a thirsting,
we have somebody fill us with water. They go, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa. But not this. It just keeps going
and going. Drink. Come unto me all you that
labor and are heavy laden. Why? Because my grace is sufficient.
Don't go to men. Don't go to the church. Come
to me. My grace is sufficient in its
fullness. Secondly, in its freeness. to
us work. It's sovereign, it's effectual,
and actually saves or helps in time of need. Needs that we know,
by the blessed Holy Spirit, we have great needs. I've said this,
I don't know where I picked it up. I think I do, but I don't
remember who said it, but I picked it up. I've always loved this
phrase. Never was anything so free that
cost so much. I've always liked that phrase. Turn with me to Isaiah 55. Isaiah
55. God's grace is sufficient in
its freeness. Freeness. That's the problem
with religion today, whether it's Catholicism, whether it's
Presbyterianism, whether it's Baptist, whether it's whatever,
whoever it is. We're trying to work our way. And we cannot do it. Look at
this in Isaiah chapter 55 verses 1-6. Ho, listen, behold, stop
what you're doing. Everyone that thirsts, are you
thirsty? Are you hungry and thirsty after righteousness? First of
all, God's got to create that in you. If so, come to the waters. Who is the waters? Christ is
the living waters. And He that hath no money, Come
and buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money,
without price." What do you mean? I mean, you've got nothing God
needs. You've got nothing He wants.
He has provided all Grace in Christ. You don't need money. You don't need to, well, I'm
supposed to feel bad about myself, or you know, some of the old
writers, they whip themselves. You're not going to do anything.
The flesh is still the flesh. As soon as you got done whipping,
the flesh is going to heal, and then you're going to start all
over again. You've got nothing. You've got nothing. I've got
nothing to promote myself to God. So, but come, come, are
you thirsty? Verse 2, wherefore do you spend
money? Now he's asking, why do you bring
this money? I'm not going to receive it.
It was like, I can't remember that name in the book of Acts,
he saw the Holy Ghost and he wanted to buy it. He said, I'm
going to buy it. No! And he slew him right there. Smitten dead. No, why do you
spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for
that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto me, he
says the prophet, eat ye that which is good, and let your soul
delight in fatness. Incline your ear, and come to
me, hear, and your soul shall live. Faith cometh by hearing,
hearing by the word of God, When you go out to the place of employment
or your neighbors, you speak to them the Gospel, and if they
don't want to listen, just give them a card, invite them here,
because He's chosen the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe. Come in here in your social living.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies
of David. And that's what David's hope
was. Remember, these would be the last words of David when
he's laying in bed and he's dying? He said, God has made with me
an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things ensured. Though I don't see it grow, my
children or my neighbor, I don't see a lot of things happening.
But this is all my hope. This is my hope. Not that I can
keep my end of it. No, because this covenant of
grace was between the Father, Son and Spirit. We weren't even
there. Behold, verse 4, I have given Him, that's Christ, for
a witness to the people. That's who He's speaking of when
He connects verses 3 and 4, the sure mercies of David. Christ,
a witness to the people, a leader, a commander to the people. Behold,
thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations
that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because the Lord thy
God and for the Holy One of Israel For He hath glorified Christ
and He has glorified us in Christ." I would say that this grace is
not only full, but it's free. And that word free, as it's found,
and you don't have to turn to Romans 3, 24, Romans 8, 32, that
word free or freely, it means to rescue. It means to frankly forgive.
It means to grant. It means without a cause in us,
gratuitously. And that's why work salvation
is so adulterous. We know what that word means.
It is so adulterous in God's eyes. Work salvation is no salvation. Turn to Exodus 20. I was going
to preach from here, but I thought I could work it in this message.
And sure enough, Exodus 20. This grace, which
is sufficient, is free. No hoopla, no banners, no pomp
and no circumstances. Look at Exodus 20. Look at verse 22 through the
end of the chapter, 26. And the Lord said to Moses, Thou
shalt say unto the children of Israel, You have seen that I
have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make with me gods
of silver, neither shall you make unto you gods of gold, an
altar. And who's our altar? Christ. In Hebrews, Christ is our altar.
Christ Jesus is our altar. an altar of earth thou shalt
make unto me, and thou shalt sacrifice thy burnt offerings,
and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, thine oxen, in all places
where I record my name will I come unto thee and will bless thee."
And if you don't have a dirt, because they're in the wilderness,
it's in a rocky setting, so you can make an altar of stone, but
you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you lift up your
tool to it, You pollute it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps
unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered." What he's
saying is this grace is sufficient and it's free and he will not
accept pageantry. He will not accept pomp. It must
be without human inventions or assistance because Christ is
our altar. What can we perfect that Christ has not already perfected?
God has accepted The heavens opened, he said, this is my beloved
son, and whom I'm well pleased. He accomplished our redemption
alone. Therefore, let us look to him
alone, trust him alone, bow to his claims alone. Thirdly, let us consider this
grace in its suitableness. Well, I'm such a, and I haven't
heard this in a long time, but all the writers, the old writers,
they always say, well, you know, if you say I'm too sinful, God
will never save me. I'm sorry, but we think way too
much of ourselves. I haven't heard that statement.
I've probably heard it two or three times in 35 years or 40
years. That's it. Take these words in our text
spoken by God to Paul, take them to and apply them to yourself.
His grace is not only full, it's free, but it's suitable to you
today. To you and me today. Take it
and apply it personally. My grace is sufficient for me. My grace is sufficient for you.
Whatever your need is, or whatever my needs are, and they are many
and great, He has grace overflowing to reclaim sinners, assist the
saint, and His suitableness will never be diminished. You can
keep going to Him, and going to Him, and going to Him, and
His grace will be sufficient. All His grace is for His people.
Totally, and yet individually. Receive it, take it up for your
own cause, your own need, your own helps. From your first step
in grace, until your last step in grace. From everlasting, He
knows our need, As He did for Ruth, He lays handfuls of purpose
for each dear child." So I don't have much. You have enough. In this country, we think that
we've got to have all this stuff, all this stuff, all this stuff. We think we've got this and that. What's he saying? My grace is
sufficient. We have too much is what we have. Because our
eyes get on, you know, like all the writers say, the more you
have, the more burden you have to be to take care of. You bet. The more we have, the more we
have to be burdened with taking care of it. Which gets our eyes
off of His grace and onto our pocketbook, our tools or whatever
they may be. No, no, no. He says, cast all your care upon
Me, for I care for you. Why? Because His grace is sufficient. His grace is sufficient. Lastly,
let us consider as our text states. His grace is sufficient. So,
let's consider lastly, as our text suggests, it's sufficiency. This grace that He gives us,
it's sufficient. This gives quick assurance under
any and all loads we bear. If you realize that everything
that comes to you has to go through Christ, and going through Christ,
He will give us grace and help in time of need, temptations,
and there's no temptation such as is common to man, and He'll
give you grace to go through it, and I know we go through
it kicking and screaming, I'm the worst. You know, guys are
usually the worst. Usually when we get sick, when
the wives get sick, they've still got to make supper, they've got
to make lunch, they've got to do stuff for the kids, but when
us guys get sick, we just lay in bed and whine. But even in
those situations, His grace is sufficient. His grace is sufficient. Grace, we know it's undeserved,
and it's often unasked for, but it's still grace-sufficient.
The name of God in Genesis 17, verse 1, which is the first place
it appears, His name is El Shaddai. That means our God is sufficient,
or the One who is sufficient. He's sufficient in Himself, He's
sufficient for us, and He's sufficient to us. Do a study of the names
of God, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom, El Shaddai. His grace is sufficient. Grace
has with it, it has communications. If it's grace, it's nebulous
out there, but it's for me, and it's full, and it's free, and
it's suitable, but it's sufficient. It communicates its all-sufficiency
in every turn, meeting every need, whether real or spiritual,
and it accomplishes its intended goal. That's relieve, that's
save, that's deliver. We sing that hymn, Wonderful
Grace of Jesus Reaches Me, I think it's hymn 206, we sing that.
Yes, His grace, wonderful grace, its sufficiency knows no bounds. towards all his elect people,
whether you're bond or free, and in the New Testament that
meant something. Gripe as though people, you know,
gripe, they're not bound in this country. Jew or Gentile, Old Testament saints or New Testament
saints, the family in heaven right now
or the family on earth right now. His grace is sufficient. Those yet to be called and those
already called, His grace is sufficient. The worst of sinners, the vilest
of sinners, or like Paul said, the chief of sinners, His grace
is sufficient. They are cleansed justified,
regenerated, sanctified, and will ultimately be glorified.
Why? Well, it's because I went to
church. I prayed. I prayed through. I
don't know what that phrase means. I didn't use it as a Methodist. Because His grace is sufficient. And it's all owing to that full
and free and suitable and all sufficient grace. So, like Paul
says in another place in Corinthians, as it is written, him that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord. Now, what's our excuse? Have
you come to Christ? Well, no. Look and live. Look and live. Because, not because
I don't like to listen. As a matter of fact, I hardly
ever listen to myself. I listen enough to know that
it goes through and then I send it. Because I'm clear? No. Because
I've got the Bible open, I've got notes? No. He uses means. But if God does anything for
you, it is all by His grace. And that's what we'll say. The
Lord takes us home. Matt, would you close us, please?